Is War Photography Necessary??

[DavoMacMessiah]

Hey people,

Just wondering whether anybody has a view, point or an answer to the question of whether war photography is necessary?? And to what extent it is acceptable?

Would be great if people posted.

Cheers, Davo.......

[Yance]

Of course, any kind of photography of necessary if only as a document for future generations.

[Deckyon]

Here we get into the "History repeating itself" argument...

Yes, I believe it is necessary. Not just for the documentation of the war for the media/news, but also for the history books. Also, there is the aspect of actual soldier education where photos and videos are a very real source for training materials.

[Ikinaa]

Hey people,

Just wondering whether anybody has a view, point or an answer to the question of whether war photography is necessary?? And to what extent it is acceptable?

Would be great if people posted.

Cheers, Davo.......

<sad>Yes of course, so people in the future wars can see that their ancestors have made the same mistakes as themselves, because as we all know, history is an endless loop... </sad>

<cynic>And if it's only for the weapon industry, war-photography is necessary, so they can show their customers how good the weapons work</cynic>

[Tom W]

Yes, it is. Its one thing to say "War is Hell"; its another thing to have the pictures to back it up.

[DavoMacMessiah]

Cheers guys, i like that Tom W, nice.

Anyone else??

Davo......

[John_T]

Well if it weren't necessary one helluva lot of PJs would be on unemployment!

[CyberDyneSystems]

I think it is important that anytime an occurance of such significance is taking place that there be somes means to document it. Not only for the "future generations to learn from" arguent,. but in fact more to the point, so that the people living through those times,. albeit perhaps on the other side of the world,. are aware of waht is transpiring. A war time photojournalist may in fact end up being in some way resposible for the actions of others taken to put a stop to an atrocity that the journalist chronicles....

[stopbath]

As long as the images are used in an unbiased method (no slander or warmongering) I can only think that photography is better used than not.

[timmyquest]

I dont think that it's a matter of documenting history persay, i think it's more of documenting the realities of war.

In peoples minds war is often a glamorous "all American" exploration into foreign countries and into manhood. Rooting out the enemies that threaten democracy...rather then what war really is most of the times, a battle between obedient pawns under the control of wealthy power hungry men who sit back and watch their pawns battle to a bloody death.


Sorry, I was ranting.

[Jesper]

Yes, it is absolutely necessary to remind the human race of how horrible war is, so that they hopefully don't start new ones.

[mvrekum]

War photos are a must. Not only to document the war, but also as evidence against warcrimes (crazy word!), to show the world the horor of war and lots more....

To comment to Jesper, we all have to look more at those images.

And I also respect those photographers who, in danger of there own lives, do this job.